Jays Shut Out Phils 10-0 behind Buehrle, Nine-Run Inning

The Phillies were shut out for the second time in three games Wednesday, as they managed just three hits against a Toronto team that stole the show with a nine-run seventh en-route to a 10-0 victory. The Phillies have lost all three games against Toronto in this home-home four-game set.

Jays’ Bats Come Alive in Seventh

Cliff Lee surrendered just two hits through the first six innings, but in the seventh, it was like a switch was flipped. Edwin Encarnacion led off with a long triple to center field, and Erik Kratz homered on the next pitch Lee threw, to extend the Jays’ lead to 3-0. Dioner Navarro singled, then Lee gave up another bomb, this time to Juan Francisco. In ten pitches, the Blue Jays scored four runs.

The bleeding did not stop there, in fact the wound was opened further. Lee came out of the game after allowing a one-out double to Steve Tolleson, and the bullpen didn’t fare any better. Mario Hollands came into the game, only to throw two wild pitches and allow a walk, which let another run across the plate. Then it was Shawn Camp’s turn. Camp, who only had two outings this season coming into the night, promptly allowed a single to Jose Bautista before surrendering the third home run of the inning, this one to Encarnacion.

Nine runs before getting two outs in the seventh. Is there anything more to say?

Offense Continues to be Nonexistent

Take away the five-run inning in Tuesday’s game, and you are looking at a team that has otherwise scored just one total run in their last 37 innings, dating back to the late innings of the middle game of the Washington series. One run. Aside from that inning, Tuesday, the last time the Phillies scored was in the first inning of their 1-0 win in the finale against the Nats.

Wednesday against Toronto was perhaps the worst performance of all in those four games. They managed only three hits—a double in the second, single in the third, and single in the seventh—off Mark Buehrle, who was attacking them with Jamie Moyer-esque low 80s fastball, and a terrible Blue Jays’ bullpen. Players not named Marlon Byrd combined for just one hit in the game. They were 0-for-5 with runners in scoring position.

Up Next

A.J. Burnett will be tasked with salvaging the final game of this four-game, home-and-home set with Toronto. Otherwise, the Phillies will fall to three games under the break-even point. He will be opposed by knuckleballer R.A. Dickey, who has handled the Phillies well in his career, posting a 2.90 ERA in nine career starts. Game time is 7:05 p.m.